Encouraging vocational education

WASHINGTON, DC: Dr. Dan Benishek (MI-01) Thursday authored an amendment to key education legislation in the House to encourage more students to enroll in vocational education programs in Northern Michigan.

“Right now, it can be really tough to find a good paying job in Northern Michigan. Part of the problem is that a lot of job seekers aren’t able to get the right training in order to fill the positions available out there. This effort will help expose our young people to more vocational education and help them get the training needed to land a job that provides for a family and pays the bills,” stated Dr. Benishek, a general surgeon and lifelong resident of Upper Michigan.

Dr. Benishek’s initiative will ask states to provide the number of students that are enrolled in vocational education courses or programs at all high schools in the state in their annual state report card.  This change will help students and parents better identify which high schools have strong vocational programs.

“I’ve been hearing from job providers all over the district on this issue. I was just at a business in Kalkaska last week that told me about their need to find job seekers with the right technical training. There are jobs out there for the people with the right skills. I want our kids to be able to have access to vocational education so they can get some of the good paying jobs out there,” added Dr. Benishek.

Vocational education and proper job training has been a top priority for Dr. Benishek during his time in Congress. Dr. Benishek has hosted educational round table meetings in Northern Michigan with educators and job providers, and continues to explore proposals to promote vocational education in the First District so that individuals have the proper training to secure the jobs available.